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Client Spotlight: Batlow Cider

3 Minute
Melanie blog profile picture

by Melanie

Posted 15/06/2016

Guess who’s picked up “Best Speciailty Cider” at the 2015 Australian Cider Awards recently? Batlow Cider, one of our clients! We are stoked that Batlow use Unleashed for all their cider inventory management needs. With Unleashed, Batlow can continue to be successful – which means the town of Batlow is successful! Great times.

What does your business do?

Batlow Cider produces, distributes and markets cider products in Australia and internationally. Our primary industry is alcohol production with our largest markets being the east coast of Australia and Hong Kong.
What’s one of your favorite cider products? Our Cider range includes Batlow Premium Cider, Batlow Cloudy Cider and Batlow OPA (Oaked Pear & Apple) Cider, which recently picked up Best Speciality Cider at the 2015 Australian Cider Awards. cider

Why do you think your customers like this product range so much?

Our range of Ciders are made from 100% fresh crushed Batlow Apples with no added sugar, concentrates or flavors. Batlow is a well-respected brand when it comes to apples, being one of the oldest and most established apple growing regions in Australia.

Can you give us a brief history of your business and the growth it has experienced so far?

Batlow has been growing apples since the late 1800s and is one of Australia’s oldest and largest fruit co-operatives. Batlow Cider was formed in 2011 when two Sydney based brothers Rich & Sam Coombes contacted the fruit co-operative with the vision of turning Australia’s favorite apples into Australia’s favorite cider. Since then the business has grown to directly employ nine people.

How is Unleashed helping your business grow?

Since adopting Unleashed we have become much better inventory managers, allowing us to better time our production scheduling and stock holdings. We were struggling with real-time stock holdings and the relationship with sales and stock. We have stock in warehouses all around Australia and also internationally, so this functionality has meant we have a much better grip on our business.

Is there an interesting customer story you could share with our readers?

Our very first customer order was for a huge amount of stock at a new bar in Sydney. We walked out of it thinking this cider game is easy. It’s still probably one of the largest single venue orders we have still ever got, so it definitely hasn’t been all rainbows and skittles.

Is there something you are particularly excited for your business right now?

We are in the process of integrating a new craft beer company Capital Brewing Co, which we are involved in, into our operations. We will integrate the beer into our distribution platform also.

Is there something your business in particularly proud of?

Batlow Cider is largely grower owned, so the success of our business will mean success for the growers and community of the small town of Batlow. We’re proud to be showing the rest of Australia the quality of the fruit being grown in Batlow and giving back to the community.

Are there any particular not-for-profit causes that you, or your business is passionate about, and why?

Our business is active in this space. Last year we teamed up with 4 Fourteen restaurant to host a fundraising dinner for the people of Vanuatu after the cyclone ripped through it. We frequently contribute stock to support fundraising events and grass roots community fundraises in the local community. As we grow this will become even more important.
Melanie blog profile picture

By Melanie

Article by Melanie Chan in collaboration with our team of Unleashed Software inventory and business specialists. Melanie has been writing about inventory management for the past three years. When not writing about inventory management, you can find her eating her way through Auckland.